The present invention generally relates to a communications system for a vehicle and method thereof. In particular embodiments, the invention relates to technology for performing wireless communications in a vehicle by selectively operating a wireless communications module in a vehicle according to the state of the vehicle, where the wireless communications module is preferably connected to an AP (Access Point) which collects vehicle information.
Vehicle manufacturers collect vehicle information from a vehicle by using wireless communications, providing a vehicle management service that is managed from a remote site which manages the state of vehicles based on the collected vehicle information.
The vehicle management service sets up an AP (Access Point) for the wireless communications in a certain area. Typically, when a vehicle enters a communications coverage of an AP, a wireless connection is suitably established between the wireless communications module installed in the vehicle and the AP, so that the AP collects the vehicle information from the wireless communications module of the vehicle.
FIG. 1 shows an illustration of an exemplary AP installation for providing a vehicle management service.
In FIG. 1, AP 1, AP 2 and AP 3 are preferably installed around a traffic lane which passes through A→B→C→D, while communications coverage Z13, Z23, Z123 in which communications coverage Z1 of AP 1, communications coverage Z2 of AP 2, and communications coverage Z3 of AP 3 overlap each other.
In spot A, for example, a vehicle transmits the vehicle information to AP 1 while the wireless channel is suitably connected between the vehicle and AP 1. In spot B, for example, the wireless channel is suitably connected between the vehicle and one of AP 1 or AP 2 so that the vehicle transmits the vehicle information to a corresponding AP. In spot C, for example, the wireless connection is suitably established between the vehicle and one of AP 1, AP 2, or AP 3 so that the vehicle transmits the vehicle information to the corresponding AP. In spot D, for example the wireless channel is suitably connected between the vehicle and AP 3 so that the vehicle transmits the vehicle information to AP 3.
In this state, when the speed of the vehicle is not slow enough to secure a time to transmit the vehicle information to an AP and to receive a notice from the AP after the wireless channel is connected between the vehicle and the AP, the vehicle is unable to completely transmit the vehicle information to the AP while driving in a traffic lane and the wireless channel is connected between the vehicle and one of AP1, AP2, or AP3. Hence, the reliability of the vehicle information which is received by the corresponding AP side can be decreased. Further, the vehicle is unable to receive the notice from the AP in a stable manner.
In addition, in a coverage area (for example, the central area of a city) in which an AP is densely installed, whenever an AP is searched, the vehicle information is transmitted to an AP by repeatedly performing a setup procedure for establishing wireless connection with the AP. In this case, since the vehicle information has to be transmitted to the AP more frequently than necessary and the vehicle wireless communications module of the vehicle side has to be continuously or intermittently operated, an overload can be generated.
Moreover, in the case of entering an AP coverage area, when the vehicle wireless communications module of the vehicle side succeeds in authentication by the AP, the vehicle wireless communication module transmits the vehicle information collected from each electronic control module to an AP without the driver's approval for transmitting the vehicle information. However, the vehicle information collection process using wireless communication is performed without the approval of the driver.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.